This year as the university celebrates its fifth year of delivering 100% online master courses, it’s a good time to reflect on how far our offering has come since launching in 2018 with our International Marketing MSc (online).
Since then, our portfolio has grown to include 10 courses, including a masters in Sustainable Development and most recently Quantum Technology MSc. This course places Sussex at the forefront of distance learning for this emerging technology as we are the first institution in the UK to offer such a course. Our portfolio is diversifying, with options for PG Cert, PG Dip and Continuous Professional Development (CPD) courses now available.
We’ve enrolled over 2,000 students, with 140 nationalities represented, ages ranging from 21 – 80 years old. So far, 285 students have graduated, and many have travelled far and wide to attend our Brighton-based graduation ceremonies.
Mellow Sadik, the University’s Online Distance Learning Manager said:
“I’m thrilled we’ve doubled the number of distance learning students enrolled in such a short space of time! Following on from that I’m pleased to say we’re close to awarding our 300th distance learning graduate".
Since the first 1,000 students milestone, we’ve diversified our portfolio and are offering additional entry routes for students who can’t commit to studying a full Masters.
With each intake we’re building on the number of countries our students are studying from, which was 133 at the last count!”
In partnership with Pearson, our online delivery partners, we held our first visual content day late last year. It provided an excellent opportunity to hear from some of our UK-based students and enabled them to meet face-to-face for the very first time. In the video below, you’ll hear from some of our inspiring students who have shared their distance learning experiences with us, as well as the student support they’ve received throughout their postgraduate studies.
Academic staff teaching on the online learning courses have shared their experience with us. Dr Samuel Power, Senior Lecturer on our Corruption and Governance MA (online) said,
“I've been struck by the incredible range of students we get, both in terms of country coverage, but also life experience. You get many people who have risen to the top of their respective professions, learning alongside recent graduates, and other mature students for whom the subject is simply of personal interest. This kind of peer learning is invaluable for the students, and makes teaching incredibly rewarding”.
Claire Tingsager, module convener on our Global Supply Chain Management MSc (online) added,
”The make-up of the student group: almost without exception these were 'post-experience' learners, many with many years' experience in (senior) supply chain and logistics positions in organisations around the globe. This meant that they tended to have contextual experience for the concepts that we were learning about and tended to be very motivated, both of which really added to my experience of convening this module”.
Online learning continues to be the quickest growing market in Higher Education, with an annual growth rate of 29% projected from 2020 to 2025 (SMRS, 2022). The impact of the recent pandemic, making distance learning the sole option for many has opened people’s eyes to online learning. This, combined with the advent of new technologies and improved offerings from providers and an increased acceptance of online degrees from employers, has driven growth.
HESA data reports that the number of UK-based institutions offering online-only learning has experienced a 38% growth since 2014, with many institutions reporting significant growth in numbers of students enrolled in its degree programmes. Sussex itself has seen a 575% increase in student numbers for Global Supply Chain Management MSc (online) since its launch in May 2022.
With students now having a plethora of choice, and the cost of living crisis at an all-time high, it is tougher than ever to recruit students and to continue to meet their expectations. Sussex however remains a strong offering:
- For the seventh consecutive year, we are first in the world for Development Studies (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2017-2023).
- As 48% of our student base are international, it provides students with a real opportunity to learn from all around the world, and to make lasting international professional connections.
- With six intakes a year, students are able to join our courses at a time that is most convenient for them.
- The format of our courses, with modules grouped into carousels, provides the flexibility many of our students need to step off the course if they need a break from their studies at any time. They can re-join once they are ready, subject to the maximum study period.
As the distance learning market grows exponentially across the globe, we’re planning for the long-term and putting measures in place to enable our growth. We continue to diversify our portfolio by offering attractive courses in a range of disciplines geared towards employability, all the while enhancing the student experience by continuously reviewing the support available to them.
If you would like to read more about this fully flexible mode of learning, please visit the University of Sussex Online Learning website for more information.
University of Sussex staff are entitled to a 20% discount off the standard tuition fees for the University's full online masters level courses.